Liverpool chairman Tom Werner insists Brendan Rodgers was "our first
choice and the right choice" after the Northern Irishman was officially
unveiled as the club's new manager this morning.

The 39 year-old left Swansea for Anfield after a compensation package was agreed yesterday between the two clubs.

Liverpool were linked with Roberto Martinez, Jurgen Klopp, Andre Villas-Boas, Frank de Boer and Fabio Capello in their hunt for Kenny Dalglish's replacement, but it is Rodgers who has been tasked with revitalising Anfield fortunes. And Werner believes he will bring "attacking, relentless football" to the club.

"In Brendan we have acquired a very exciting and talented and young manager," the American said. "He's a forward-thinking coach at the forefront of a generation of young managers and will bring to Liverpool attacking, relentless football.

"We did speak to a number of people in the last few weeks, but I want to say Brendan was the only person we made an offer to. He was our first choice and the right choice."

Rodgers admits his mind was made up on a move to Merseyside once it became clear he was the club's preferred target.

"Once I had found out I was the number one target from the important people at Liverpool it was quite an easy decision," he said.

"I'm very proud, it's a club with wonderful tradition and I feel very blessed with the opportunity to manage the club."

Liverpool is a step up for Rodgers from his previous jobs at Watford, Reading and Swansea.

He also worked under Jose Mourinho at Chelsea and believes claims he is too inexperienced for the role are unfair.

"My pathway as a young coach has been different to most managers," he said.

"I have actually been coaching and working in football for 20 years. At Chelsea I had experience of working with big players.

"I look at Kenny Dalglish, he was the manager (of Liverpool in 1985) at 34 and resigned at 39. I arrive here at 39."

Rodgers is confident he will get time to introduce his methods at Anfield.

"This is long-term, that was important to me, to come into a project over a number of years," he said.

"For me (the attraction), is to defend the principles of this great club, offensive football with tactical discipline, and to retain the values of the club.

"That was the attraction, the history of the club.

"Also the frustration. It has been over 20 years since they won the title. We might not be ready for the title but the process begins today, it's a new cycle, and that is something that we will work towards in the years to come."

Liverpool's search for a new manager has been criticised in some quarters for being too wide-ranging, but managing director Ian Ayre is satisfied with how the club dealt with filling the vacancy.

He said: "There was a process and it was right to have a process. Brendan was at the forefront of that thinking, evidenced by the fact we asked Swansea very early on.

"He was the only person we made an offer to. We got the person we wanted."

He added: "The process is a private process (but) it's fair to say we considered many people because that's what you should do. You try to understand how any individual fits with the profile."

Ayre has also explained there will be a new set-up on the football side.

He said: "The structure, and Brenden is aware of this, is a more continental director of football type structure, a collaborative group of people working around the football area.

"We don't expect at this moment in time to have a director of football per se but a group of people working with Brendan to deliver the football side of it."

Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins claimed today there was an agreement in place which would prevent Liverpool from signing any of the Welsh club's players for the next 12 months.

When asked about that at his press conference, Rodgers did not confirm or deny that is indeed the case.

He said: "The only thing I want to say about Swansea and Wales is my deepest gratitude and thanks for everything they've done.

"It was a real special two years at Swansea City for me, we created history, we became the first Welsh team into the Barclays Premier League.

"It's a sad day to leave Swansea of course because I have so many friends there, what we created has been incredible really and I have huge respect for them as a football club.

"The only thing I want to talk about Swansea today is to give them thanks to the club and to the nation of Wales, as my time there with the media and the people has been incredible."

When further questioned on the subject of not signing any Swansea players over the next year, Rodgers added: "I've got a real good relationship with Huw Jenkins and he and I will continue to be good friends and we'll speak accordingly and wherever the players come from that will remain to be seen."

Regarding winning over any doubting Liverpool fans following his appointment, Rodgers said: "All I'll ever do is what I've done in every job, which is promise that I'll fight for my life for the supporters and for the people of the city.

"When I arrived at Swansea I'd come off a period at Reading where it didn't quite work but again I was quite realistic, I didn't want to make any false promises, I'm a realist.

"For me, I'll always give my life to try to represent the football club and city as best as I possible can and hopefully over time I'll earn that respect.